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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28087938">a study in blue</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/palalabu/pseuds/palalabu'>palalabu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Formula 1 RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:41:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,132</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28087938</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/palalabu/pseuds/palalabu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Oh, Lando.” Carlos starts to kiss his boyfriend from his temple, “If you ask me,” to the tip of his nose, to the two moles on each side of his face, “I could write a book.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lando Norris/Carlos Sainz Jr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>144</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a study in blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>inspired by Lando's ever-changing colored eyes</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Carlos remembers the pale blue eyes and the sheepish smile from the first time they shake hands on a rainy September day at McLaren headquarter. He remembers how he and Zak dominated the conversation while the kid mostly just listens quietly on his seat. And he was thinking about how Max and he himself were younger when they were teammates back in their Toro Rosso days, and if he could deal with Max back then, surely he could also deal with this kid now. They left the meeting with a promise to work well together. And as the kid nodded and deepened his smile, Carlos caught a glimpse of a barely there dimple. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Carlos soon learned how deceiving the kid –well, Lando, and Carlos need to stop calling him kid– could be. Because he's definitely not the shy, quiet kid Carlos thought he is. He's cheeky and mischievous when he filmed Carlos and uploaded it on his socials. And his eyes turned a deeper shade of blue as he giggled in excitement when Carlos checked his own account and found out about it later. Lando, Carlos learns, is quick to trust people. He had his head on Carlos' shoulder as they strike a pose before launching their 2019 car when at that point Carlos could count the time they've talked to each other in one hand. Carlos remembers Lando's soft curls and the strong smell of his cologne he probably sprays too much on himself. Carlos remembers rolling his eyes, thinking how such a teenager he is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In Melbourne, Carlos learns how hard the kid could be on himself. Finishing 12 on a debut race is not too bad, Carlos thinks. But Lando’s eyes were a lighter shade of green under the Australian sun as he kept sighing dejectedly, apologizing to the team about losing a place on the final lap. When he was against a much more experienced driver on fresher tyres. Carlos couldn’t stop himself from patting his back and telling him how it’s not his fault. Because it really wasn’t. But Lando looked back at him with a smile that didn't reach his eyes like he didn't believe what Carlos was saying. And Carlos, somehow, couldn’t live with that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It has become some kind of a mission for him to make sure that Lando knows that he’s so much better than he thinks he is. Making sure Lando doesn't spiral into one of his mood just because he thinks he’s so incompetent while the truth is he’s still learning and improving. Making sure his eyes don’t turn a stormy grey with self disappointment. And the funny thing is, Carlos finds himself enjoying this new role as Lando motivator. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But on the other hand, Lando’s eyes turn a beautiful seafoam green with jealousy whenever Carlos beats him in a race or in their silly games in between said races. And Carlos loves to see that too.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s also those two instances that confuses Carlos and he can’t find the reason behind it until later in their relationship. The first time it happened, they were having a football game at an old hotel in Austria. It was so hot that everyone decided shirtless is the only way to go. So when Carlos had to tackle Lando onto the ground it was skin on skin. And for the split second he had Lando underneath him, Lando’s eyes turned dark blue. So dark it was almost black. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The second time, they were in a bowling alley in Japan. Carlos got the better of Lando, again. But this time, there was a bet, and Carlos had to strip Lando off his jeans. And in retrospect, Carlos should've known better than to dive straight under his teammate and dragged him down onto the floor in public. Because at that point in their friendship, everything has shifted. So when he crawled up Lando’s body and pushed against his chest to pin him to the floor, the air between them was charged. That dark blue in Lando’s eyes he’d seen before, he finally could put a name on. It’s lust. It’s his pupil dilated. It’s, for lack of a better word, turned on. And Carlos only knew that because he knew that Lando must have seen it reflected back in Carlos’ eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Along the way Carlos also learns about the beauty marks-- not the two prominent ones on his face, but the constellation he has on his back. The subtle freckles on his shoulders. And later on, the reactions, the little whimpers and squirms, when Carlos lands a gentle kiss or when his callus fingertips run a ghostlike touch connecting those dots. He learns about the gasp Lando lets out when their lips meet. His scrunchy face, the perfect O his lips made when Carlos brings him to his orgasm. The way his back arches beautifully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you done yet?” Lando's voice finally pulls Carlos out of his own musing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Not yet," he murmurs against the moles on Lando's right waist. And he watches the skin quiver. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I swear sometimes you make me feel jealous of my own moles."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't be," Carlos looks up at his boyfriend with a grin. "Because I don't just love your moles. I love this too." He raked his nails through Lando's thin happy trails. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Show off." Lando rolls his eyes with pretend annoyance. "I know it's not as impressive as yours." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Carlos makes a face in return. "I'm just too hairy."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re perfectly fine,” Lando tells him as he pulls Carlos up so they can properly kiss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re still only inches away when they pull apart and Carlos starts to caress Lando’s cheek and stares into his eyes </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you gonna be weird about my eyes too?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re beautiful, Lando.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No they’re not. It’s not like your eyes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Carlos raises an eyebrow. “My eyes? My boring brown eyes?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not boring.” Lando protests. “Your eyes change color under different lights. Like it could be as bright as amber when we’re on track. And it’d look so dark when--” And Lando’s face turns red as he says, “Well, when we’re making love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carlos can’t even say anything to that. Because he really thinks he has nothing special about him. Well, except for his hair, which Lando keeps commenting on how jealous he is that Carlos has such thick luscious hair. But other than that, he doesn't think there’s anything interesting about him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So. What about my weirdly colored eyes that you like?” Lando asks in his usual self deprecating way that Carlos doesn't appreciate. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Lando.” Carlos starts to kiss his boyfriend from his temple, “If you ask me,” to the tip of his nose, to the two moles on each side of his face, “I could write a book.”</span>
</p>
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